Road maintaining and resurfacing machine



ROAD MAINTAINING A'ND RESURFACING MACHINE Mmmm July 3, 1923. 1,460,930 o. B. WALTl-:Rs

ROAD MAINTAINING AND R-ESURFAC-ING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3, 1923. 1,460,930

' O. B. WALTERS ROAD MAINTAININCr AND RESURFACING MACHINE Filed D90. 9, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 v m mw um a www m w QSE MN o2 .um `An= WMUVMWWM u i 4, mw N. 4

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July 3, 1923. 1,460,930

O. B. WALTERS ROAD MAINTAINING AND RESURFACING MACHINE Filed Deo. 9, 17922 l 4ASheets-Sheet 4 Sme/Moz @malter @a MMWMW Patented Ju y 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES ODIN B. WALTERS, 0F COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

ROAD MAINTAINING AND RESUBFACING MACHINE.

Application led December` 9, 1922. Serial No. 605,753.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ODIN B. WALTERS, a citizen of the'nited States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road- Maintainin and Resurfacing Machines, of which the ollowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to road machines of that type used for maintaining roads in proper condition by resurfacing, ditching and smoothing' out the roads.

The invention has for an object to provide a road maintainer which has a relatively long wheel base; may be easily op-` erated; has a positive lifting and lowering means for the scraper has a support for thevscraper, which is of the full or semioating type; has releasable and adjustable pressure means for the scraper; is relatively light in weight; may be operated by one man; and supports the operator above the work out of the path of dust and the like which is lifted by the operation of the machine and so that the operator may have the work in full View at all times.

The invention also aims at the provision of a road maintainer which may be used as a light grader, a maintainer, a planer, a snow plow, and a ditch former and clearer; which has adjustable supporting and tension means for the scraper which may be moved transversely to an extent sufhcient toproject the scraper into a ditch at either side of the road while the machine may remain on the road, and so that the machine may be operated down grade for ditching at either side of the road; and which has a reversible blade capable of adjustment to the desired angle at either side of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scraper or blade which may operate by its own weight only, upon which may be placed a moderate adjustable pressure, and.

upon which may be placed the entire weight of the machine for heavy work.

VA further object is to provide a road maintainer with a scraper blade and a draft connection which is directly between the traction source and the scraper tov remove all strain and side draft on the frame of the machine to provide an improved locking device for holding the reversible scraper at the desired angle; to provide a mechanical means for shifting the scraper with its rais,-

ing and lowering mechanism, a platform` and a seat for the operator, all as a unit so that the operator may have the same relative position -with respect to the scraper and parts at all times to more efiiciently and accurately adjust the mechanism; and to provide a shifting means for the scraper which may be adjusted while the machine is in motion.

The above and-various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be 1 described in, and in part be understood from,

the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine showing the raising and lowering means for the left end of the scrape? blade as in use, the corresponding mechanism for the right end being removed for the sake of clearness, and the dotted lines showing angular and lateral adjustments of the scraper mechanism.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine looking towards its forward end with the draft rigging as in use with horses.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through a road scraping machine constructed according to the present invention, the view being taken substantially along the medial longitudinal center of the machine.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken through the .machine rearwardly of the scraper blade and looking forwardly, parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the machine looking at its rearend.

Figure 6 is a fragmentaryenlarged section taken vertically through one of the pressure devices for the scraper blade.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the forward portion of the frame, parts removed for clearness and with the front steering wheels in a turned position.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a pair of side bars connected together at their rear end portions by a transverse axle 11 upon opposite ends of which are mounted road wheels 12 for supporting the rear end of the frame. The side bars 10 of the frame converge forwardly and lare connected together by a forwardly bowed cross piece 13, the frame being reinforced by cross braces 14, 15 and 16, spaced apart at intermediate points lengthwise of the frame, and which serve as supports for the mechanism hereinafter described. The rear end of the frame is provided with a platform 17 formed of cross boards orthe like fitted between the side bars 10.

The frame is provided at its forward end wit-h a three armed bracket or bolster 18 two opposed arms of which are secured to the side' bars 10, while the intermediate arm is secured to the lbrace 15 by a bolt 19. Pivotally mounted beneath the bolster 18 is an arched axle support 20 which carries an axle 21 held thereto by U-bolts or the like. The axle 21 carries the front road wheels 22 for supporting the forward end of the frame. The axle support 20 is pivoted to the bolster 18 by a bolt 23, and is provided at its end with forwardly extending bearings 24 in which is mounted a transverse rod 25 secured by nuts or the like on op-v posite ends. The rod 25 provides a pivotal mounting for the inner end of a forwardly and upwardly extending web or plate 26` having an upper substantially horizontal portion 27. As shown in Figure 2, the Inachine may be drawn by draft animals, and 111 this case the tongue 28 is attached to the web 26 by means of bolts 29 and the por` tion 27 of the web is not in use. With this form of draft, the horses are connected to the machine by a draft equalizer having a bar 30 and double and single trees 31 and 32. It will be noted that the tongue 28 is used for steering purposes only it being connected to the inside horses by means of a neck yoke 33. The strain of the draft comes on the bar 3() only. This bar is connected directly to a draw bar 34 as will be later explained.

As shown in Figure 3, the portion or lip 27 of the web 26 may be used when the tongue 28 is removed; such as when a tractor is employed as will subsequently be explained. i

The bolster 18 spaces the front wheels 22 below the plane of the frame 10 and per- 'mits the short turning of the wheels beneath'the frame.4 This constructionpermits. of the use of a frame with a relatively long wheel base so that the scraper blade, which is supported intermediate the length of the frame, may be maintained at an even height without individual adjustment for normal variations in the roadway.

As shown particularly in Figures 2 and 5, the frame 35 of the scraper is preferably in one piece from end to end, and is provided at its upper edge and at opposite end with angle bars 36 riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the rear sideof the frame 35 for adjusting purposes. The lower edge of the frame 35, is reinforced by an angle bar 37 which is preferably of substantially the length of ythe frame 35. The frame 35 is preferably in the form of' a. flat metal strip presenting front and rear flat faces prolbars 41 which are curved upwardly and forwardly over the upper edge of the frame 35. The draft bars 41 are also secured to the rods 40 in a selective manner by bolts 42 carried by the rod 40 and fitted in desired openings of corresponding rows of openings 43 formed in the curved portions of the draft bars 41 the rods 40 have nuts 44 on their lower ends which engage the angle bar 37 and support the scraper.

As shown in Figure 2, the draft bars 41 extend forwardly to coupling pieces .4,5 which are pivoted, not only to the forward ends of the bars 41, but also to the opposite ends of a cross bar 46. The cross bar 46 is mounted intermediate its ends upon a pivot 47 supported upon the cross brace 14 of the frame 10. The draft bars 41 are substantially ofequal length andconsequently swinging of the cross bar 46 moves the opposite ends of the scraper back and forth beneath the opposite sides of the frame. y

An apertured segment 48 is carried by the cross bar 46 and extends forwardly therefrom beneath a locking pin 49 which is mounted in a casting 50 carried by the frame. The pin 49 is connected to a bell crank lever 51 pivoted in the tap of the casing 50 and operated by a rod 52 extending rearwardly from the bell crank lever 51 to a position near the platform 17 where the operator may raise and lower the pin 49 without leaving his seat.

As willbe noted particularly in Figures 3, 4 and 7 'the central cross brace 16 is formed of two-spaced rails of channel iron, their snioothsides toward each other and joined together by end blocks 53 which, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, are provided with pulleys 54 as anti-friction supportsv for chains as will later appear. The blocks-53 may be welded to the rails 16, and the whole brace welded to the 'side bars 10 of the frame, or otherwise suit-ably secured thereto. fore the rails 16and end blocks are secured together a transversely slidable block or locking member 55 is fitted upon and between the rails, land is provided with a downwardly, extending arm 56 to which is attached the intermediate portion of achain 57. The ends of the chain 57 are lconnected to the rods 40 and thus to the opposite ends of the vso scraper 35. The chain 57 is provided with a small amount of slack, but is sufficiently taut to maintain the `scraper 35 in .a substantiall medial position with respect to the slida le block 55 at all times.

As shown in 'Figure 6 each rod 40 is slidably mounted at its upper-end in a trunnion 58 and is suspended by a nut 59 on its upper end. A coil spring 60 is interposed between the trunnion v58 and the draft bar 41. Washers 61 are placedl on each rod 40 at opposite ends of the spring-60, the lower `washer being lix'ed tothe rod to support the spring, and the upper washer being adapted to engage the trunnion 58. This spring 60 is brought into'play to provide a resilient bumper or buil'er and take up' the strain when the scraper 35 encounters stones, roots or other obstructions on the road, and is adapted to provide the blade'at all time.

Each `trunnionl58 is pivoted between the outer ends of a pair of arms 62, each pair 0f arms62 being pivoted at their inner ends upon an adjacent standard 63. There is. a standard 63 at each side of the machine and the standards 63 are mounted on a sliding cross frame 64 comprising spaced angle bars and each standardvcomprising a pair of uprights one for each angle bar, and braced thereto by a brace 65. The uprights of each standard 63 arejoined at their upper ends by a worm heusin Aor casting 66 forked at its lower` end to provide branches 67 which are attached to theuprights of the standard 63. As best shown lin Figure 4, a `worm 68 is keyed to and mounted on a shaft 69 which is journaled in each housing 66, the shaft 69 having a hand wheel 70 to turn the wormby the operator. The worm 68 meshes at lall times with thetee'th of a sector 71 which is pivoted at 72 in the casting 66 to swing be,-

rods 74-being adjustably hooked into the ad-v jacent arms 62 for raising and lowering the same. By this means it will be apparent that rot'ationof a hand wheel 70 will be converted into oscillating movement of the corresponding lever arm 73, and arml 62 to elfect the vertical adjustable movement of the rods 40. The leverage may be governed by the gear ratio of the worm 68 and sector 71 for forcing the scraper against the road surface with the desired resilient pressure. The mechanism for raising vand lowering each end vof Ithe scraper is identical, excepting that one wheel is for the operators right handand the other for his left. Both mechanismsare secured to the cross frame members 64 and the whole is slidable transversely of the main frame 10, to shift the'scraper 35 to various positions transversely of the line ofl travel of the machine, and to reach 'out a yieldable tension on laterally, as shown in Figure 5 into a ditch at the side of the road and beyond the machine to scrape back onto thecrown of the road earth which hasl been washed and worked into the ditch. As'also shown adjustment is further effected by placing through selectedva ertures 39 of theangle bars 36 and 37. e scraper 35 may be shifted in like manner lto the `other side of the machine by an opposite adjustment of the parts.

The operators seat 75 is mounted on a standard 76 which risesv from a platform7 7 and, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the platform 7 7 and standard 76 are secured, by welding or otherwise, to the rear cross member 64 for adjustment therewith `to at all times position the operator properly in one place for controlling the operation of the machine and lending weight to the scraper.

v Rearwardly of the platform 63 is la hand the opposite pulley to a similar eye 83 on e the 'other side of the slidableA block. By turning the hand wheel 70 the block 55 will be moved transversely of the machine in either direction governed by the directionof rotation of the hand wheel 70,

the chain 80 pulling it in one direction while the chain 82 is payed out, and vice versa. As best shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7 the block 55 has flanges above and below the cross brace 16 which preventY vertical movements and permit transverse sliding move'- ments. As the block 55 is moved by the hand wheel 70 it is adapted to correspondingly move the scraper 35 thrcu h the chain 57 and arm 56 of the block 55. lso, the upper crossvmembers 64, their adjunct parts and the operators seat will be moved as a unit. The block 55 lis provided with `an elongated slot 84 receiving a bolt 85 having When adjusting the scraper 35 transversely or angularlythe operator releases the nut 87 and moves the scraper tothe desired position by means of the hand wheel 78, the chains 80 and 82, the block 55 and.

thecha'in`57. The pressure mechanism will f be moved, at the same time by the chain 57 l ing earth from the road. As'shown in Figpulling through the rods 40. After the desired positionl is attained the nut 87 is turned up tightly, thereby clamping theymembers 64 upon the fra-me bars 10.

The slot 84 of the block 55 must be elongated for the following reason:

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 7 it will be noted that the scraper 35 is pivotally attached to the bars 41 and the latter are pivoted to the bar 46 by the couplings 45. This permits swinging movements ofthe scraper 35, the bolts at the ends of the bar 46 serving as pivotal points. As shown in Figure 1, the raising gear and its locking bolt 85 is at the rearward position of the slot 84, but if the whole is moved transversely the bolt 85 is free to slide forwardly in the slot 84 various distances represented in Figure 7 by the space 88 between the dotted lines 89 and 90. Line 89 represents the line of travel of the block 55- while line 90 represents the arcuate path of travel of the pivot of swing of the bolt 85, or pivotal center of the scraper 35 and its parts, struck purpose a comparatively great anffle of in-.

clination off the scraper is required, such as alpproximately at 45 degrees, much greater tian the inclination for planing or scrap.-

ure 1, the scraper 35 may be swung to the position shown in the dotted lines 35 by releasing thepclamping nut 87 and withdrawing the locking pin 49 from a selected aperture of the sector`48 of the bar 46. On the front bar of the cross member 64 is an up- Standing bracket arm 91, Figures 2. 3 and 5, providing a rest for the rod 52. When the pin 49 is withdrawn, the scraper 35.is free to swing to the position 35', and such swinging movements ei'ect the correspondingy movements of the bar 46, it assuming the position shown in the dotted lines 46', and the bars 41 assuming the position substantially as shown by the dotted lines 41. The pin 49 is now inserted into a selected aperture of the sector 48 and the nut 87 turned to clamp the transverse shifting gear in the new position. It will be noted that the bars 41, when the scraper 35 is shifted to the po'- sition 35', will assume the position shown by the dotted lines41 out of parallelism, the bar 41 at the left side of the machine being ,substantially parallel with theside bars 10 while the bar 41 at the right side will be at a greater divergent angle to the side bars 10, and cause an inequality whichmoves the pivotal point of the scraper 35 forward las shown in Figure 1. VThe bolt is at all Leccese times the pivot from which the scraper 35 is swung, and is permitted to move forward on account of the elongation of the slot 84 in which it moves when the bar 46 is swung.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 a lon itudinal bar 92 is placed above the cross 14 and 15 to which the locking pin casting 50 is attached. A similiar bar 93 is placed below-the braces 14 and 15. These bars 92 and 93 are secured by the pins or bolts 19 and 47. The bolt 47 serves as a pivot for the sector 48 which is positioned between the bars 92 and 93 as clearly shown in Figure 3. The pin 19 also secures the rear arm of the bolster 18 to the frame. Directly above and in vertical alignment with the pin 23 is another pivot pin 94, se-I cured to the bars 92 and 93' and between which a draw bar l95 is pivoted for horizontal swinging movements. rThis draw bar 95 is adapted to transmit the strain of the draft directly to the bars 92 and 93, and through them to the bar 46 and scraper 35. It will be noted that this form of draft is useful for direct, transmission of the great strain between the road scraper 35 and the 'bar 95 which functions as a draw bar, and

races ure 2, the draw .bar 95 isprovided with an upstanding bolt 96 provided on its upper end with an anti-friction roller 97 overvhanging and moving along the top vedge of the semi circular track or bowed bar 13. .when the front wheels are turned. This roller 97 supports the weight of the draft or evener bar 30 and its gear for the draft animals. it furthermore removes the strain from the web plate 26 when a downward. pull is exerted on the draw bar 95. As shown in Figure 3 the draft gear is -assembled for use-with a tractor as follows:

A strap iron 98 is secured by rivets or the like to the upper side of the draw vbar 95 and is olset upwardly at its forward endg,

A pin 99 is carried through the forward ends of the strap iron and the draw bar 95, and, servesA to connect the lip 27 of the web plate 26 to the draw bar 95. The draw bar 95 is thus coupled to the web` plate 26 and moves therewith during turning of the front wheels. For use with a tractor a coupling plate 100, Figure 3, is fitted between the strap iron 98 and the draw bar 95 for-connection at its forward end to a tractor.

When draft animals are used the evener bar steering purposes only.

incasso It will be noted from Figure 7 that when a tractoris used and the web 27 is locked to the draw bar 95, the turnin of the front wheels is limited by the roller 9 which abuts the forward ends of the sides 10 of the frame. When animals are used the web 27 is not locked to the limited draw bar and the web and wheels may turn further about for eil'ectin a short turn yon a narrow road. Considerab e pressure may be applied to the scraper at either, or both of its ends by manipulation of the hand wheels 70 in amanner to causethe arms 73 of the worm gear to descend far enough to overcome the compression 'of the springs 60. As a consequence the weight of the rear end of the machine may be placed directly .on the scraper for .holding it against the road surface. j

When in use for light planing, such as in removing snow, the scraper blades may lightly contact with the ground and at this time the resistance of the compression springs 60 may be employed for maintaining the scraper contact with the ground. Should'stones be encountered by the blade the springs 60 will yield and thus prevent injury to the scraper and other parts connected thereto.

-86 I do not wish to be restricted to the size,

form, and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it bein only necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1.111 a road maintainer, a frame, a superstructure on the frame, manually operable means for transversely shifting the superstructure on the frame, means for angularly adjustin the superstructure across the frame, c amping means for binding the superstr'ucture upon lthe frame when adjusted and a scraper suspended from the superstructure and adapted for adjustment transversely and angularly with the same. f

2. In a road maintainer, a frame, a superstructure slidably and pivotally mounted on the frame, a scraper suspended from the superstructure for adjustment therewith, manual means `for moving the superstructure and scraper transversely across the frame to project' the scraper beyond 'opposite sides o the rame, means for shifting the scraper into various angular positions across the under side of 'the frame, means for locking said last named means when adjusted, and locking means for the superstructure f'or securing it to the frame in adjusted position.

3.V 1n a road maintainer, a frame, a superstructure slidably andpivotally mounted on the frame, means for manually shifting the superstructure crosswise of the frame, means for binding the superstructure to the frame when adjusted, a scraper suspended bcneath the vsuperstructure for adjustmentV therewith crosswise of the frame and pivotally into various angles beneath the frame, and means for locking the scraper in various angular positions.

4. In a road maintainer, a frame having an intermediate brace, a traveler mounted on the brace, manualmeans connected to the traveler for shifting it transversely of the frame, a cross member seated on the frameover the traveler, a clamping bolt carried by the traveler and engaging the cross member for binding the latter upon the frame and for shiftingthe cross member with the traveler into various transverse positions of adjustment, and a scraper suspended beneath thefframe and supported upon the cross member.

5. In a road maintainer, a frame having a cross brace therein, a block slidable transversely upon the cross brace, a hand operated shaft mounted in the frame and having reversely wound vconnectors on opposite ends leadin to the., opposite sides of the block for shlfting the latter upon the turning ofthe hand operated shaft, a cross member pivotally mounted on the block and resting on the top of the frame, means for bindlng the bloclr and. cross member together and upon the frame when adjusted, a scraper suspended from thecross member beneath the frame for transverseand angular adjustment therein, and draft means for holding the scraper in adjusted positions.

6. In a road maintainer, a frame, a cross member resting upon the top of the frame, transversely slidable block mounted in the frame and having pivotal connection to the cross member to shift the same transversely and permit the free angular adjustment of the cross member on the frame, a clamping bolt connecting the block with the cross member for binding the same together when adjusted, a scraper suspended from the cross member beneath the frame, a pivoted cross bar carried by the frame forwardly of the cross member and provided with a segment, 

